A flowering deciduous (not evergreen) shrub called Pinky Winky has pink and white flower heads that change color during the course of its protracted blooming season.
Hydrangea Paniculata Pinky Winky is its scientific name. I’ll explain why it’s also called as a Panicle Hydrangea in a moment.
One of the hardiest hydrangea types that may easily endure Winters is Pinky Winky.
Pinky Winky hydrangea is what you want if you want a lengthy season of gorgeous blooms that keep changing color from mid-Summer all the way into the fall season!
What does Pinky Winky mean?
Every time I’m asked what kind of hydrangeas these are, I anticipate a follow-up question as soon as I respond with the amusing moniker.
Like with many plants, the breeder will typically give his or her new creation a special name that has some significance, whether in honor of a loving spouse, an iconic figure, or a favorite color.
The Belgian breeder of the Pinky Winky hydrangeas dedicated this shrub to his son, who at the time was a big fan of the Teletubbies cartoon, particularly the Tinky Winky figure. Pinky Winky was given this odd name as a result!
The breeder, Johan van Huylenbroeck, also created the Bobo hydrangea, which I discussed in my piece on the Pia hydrangea. Another popular cartoon character in Belgium is a blue bunny named Bobo.
What is a Panicle Hydrangea?
A panicle has a primary stem from which branch out numerous tiny stems. There are several flowers attached to each of these branching branches.
A panicle up close is shown here:
This one panicle is made up of many branches that branch off from the primary bloom stem.
Throughout the growth season, each panicle’s end lengthens while also generating more blooms along its length.
Very reliable bloomer
Pinky Winky is a hardy kind of hydrangea, unlike several others. Ours have bloomed following hard Winters, wet Springs, and also following a hot, early Summer drought.
Blooms on new growth, so any die-back won’t matter
The fact that some hydrangeas only bloom on old wood or on both old and new wood is crucial. Pinky Winky only blooms on new wood, so even if it freezes to the ground, everything will be OK in the spring when it sprouts new growth.
Butterflies and bees love this shrub
It will benefit your other plants and flowers to plant a Pinky Winky hydrangea or two or three as we all seek to make our gardens more pollinator-friendly. In addition, I adore listening to the bees’ hum as they fly around the hydrangea blossoms without paying any attention to me!
Spicy scent
Before one of my neighbors commented how much she enjoyed the fragrance on her morning walks, I was unaware of the beautiful scent of the Pinky Winky hydrangeas when we initially planted them. The smell is best described as spicy with a tinge of vanilla and honey. It’s not too much. In actuality, I enjoy how relaxing the smell is.
Winter interest
As a gardener, I firmly believe that our gardens can offer interest throughout the entire year. If you leave the dried flower heads on the stems, Pinky Winky hydrangeas enhance the peaceful appearance of the Winter season. I perform this each year.
Is Pinky Winky deer resistant?
Compared to bigleaf hydrangeas like the Endless Summer variety, Pinky Winky hydrangeas are less attractive to deer. Although deer will consume nearly anything if they are sufficiently hungry and their typical food sources are scarce, it is comforting to know that Pinky Winky shrubs are not among their top choices among hydrangeas.
Pinky Winky Shrub Description
Round in shape, this shrub features scarlet stems that stand out beautifully among the bright green leaves.
These sturdy stems never become slack or heavy from the weight of the enormous panicle flowers.
In fact, the shrubs along the Jersey Shore remained erect even during the torrential rains we experienced last month!
How big does Pinky Winky hydrangea get?
A Pinky Winky hydrangea can reach a mature height of 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, with a rounded form.
However, when they are extremely happy, these hydrangeas can grow up to 8 to 10 feet tall and occasionally much higher!
How fast does Pinky Winky hydrangea grow?
Since these shrubs grow up and out by many feet during the course of the growing season, the Pinky Winky hydrangea growth rate is regarded as quick. It’s really quite amazing!
Flower shape:
As I indicated earlier, Pinky Winky’s flowers are fashioned like cones. Since each flower stem has numerous smaller branches that each carry florets that make up the bigger, overall bloom, they are referred to as panicles.
Technically speaking, each cone-shaped panicle—which we mistakenly think of as a flower—actually consists of several blossoms clustered together and joined to the main stem of each panicle.
Pinky Winky Florets:
Observe the arrows pointing to the two distinct floret types in the figure below.
There are bigger showy sterile florets and smaller star-shaped fertile florets, which are both present.
Over the course of their lengthy blooming season, the beautiful florets change color from white to pink to a deep rose.
The larger sterile florets are what first attracted the bees to the blooms, but it is the smaller fertile florets that they prefer. witty fact
Flower size:
The big, 14 to 16-inch-long blossoms grow throughout the season as their hues alternate between white, pink, and white before reaching a lovely deep rose hue just before they start to dry.
Flower color:
Pinky Winky is most famous for its two-tone pink and white flowers, however they aren’t always that way.
The fact that Pinky Winky flowers change color throughout a lengthy blooming season makes them incredibly stunning.
Before opening to reveal cream or white blooms, flower buds begin to take on a lime green hue.
For the most of the summer, the blossoms are white. Ours in zone 7 start to turn pink in the first week of August.
Are the flowers truly white?
The blossom color starts out as a warm white, which to me does look more ivory than white, according to my best description. It’s not as pure white as, say, a white petunia or an annual white geranium.
I believe that the perception of white is subjective. In my mind, everything is warm white.
When do Pinky Winky hydrangeas turn pink?
Here in zone 7 in southern New Jersey, these blooms start to turn pink in August, starting at the base of each flower head.
The flower head’s tip continues to generate new white blossoms even if the base of the flower head becomes pink. To put it another way, each flower head develops while changing hue!
The blossoms turn pink in August and transform into a gorgeous rose color that is ideal for Autumn, extending the flower display into the Fall.
How to plant Pinky Winky Hydrangeas
Plant Pinky Winky hydrangeas shallowly, as you would most flowering bushes. Only as deep as the Pinky Winky is currently rooted in its container should you dig the planting hole.
Make the opening slightly larger than the container’s sidewalls. Place the container into the planting hole to inspect your work periodically to see how high or low the plant is. Add or subtract soil as necessary.
Pinky Winky Hydrangea Spacing
You’ll learn to place your Pinky Winky hydrangeas at least 7 to 10 feet apart from most gardening books and websites.
The Pinky Winky hydrangeas we grow are spaced slightly under 4 feet apart. And they’re doing great.
Our crepe myrtle tree has two Pinky Winky bushes planted on either side of it. Every Summer, each group of shrubs gently crosses over with a few branches, giving the impression that there is only one lovely bush on either side of the tree rather than two.
Can I transplant Pinky Winky Hydrangeas?
You can move your Pinky Winky hydrangeas, yes. The optimum time to accomplish this is when the plant is dormant, when there are no leaves on the stems. Typically, this occurs in the late fall or early spring.
Soil for Pinky Winky Hydrangeas:
Pinky Winky’s blossom color is unaffected by the pH of the soil, in contrast to a number of other hydrangea cultivars. In other words, the blossoms will always start off white, then change to pink in two tones, and then turn a darker rose pink.
Best fertilizer for Pinky Winky Hydrangeas:
Applying a slow-release fertilizer to your hydrangeas in the early spring, just after any pruning, is the ideal method to nourish them. Holly Tone by Espoma is my preferred organic slow-release fertilizer. *Amazon Affiliate link
Some gardeners don’t fertilize their hydrangeas at all, and the result is still lovely shrubs with an abundance of flowers.
Use of high nitrogen fertilizers can actually reduce bloom yield on the majority of hydrangea species.
Watering Pinky Winky Hydrangeas:
Regular watering is necessary, especially in the first year of the shrubs’ growth. Additionally, remember to water your plants frequently when the weather is hot.
The good news is that your Pinky Winky bushes grow more drought tolerant than some of the other hydrangea kinds after they become established.
Zones:
More resistant to cold temperatures than other Hydrangea kinds, like mophead bigleaf hydrangeas, are Panicle hydrangeas like Pinky Winky and Limelight.
How can you be certain that you can cultivate this flowering shrub in your particular zone?
If your neighborhood nursery sells them in the spring, they must withstand your region’s environment. If you’re unsure, always ask a nursery specialist.
Pruning Pinky Winky Hydrangeas
If you need to prune Pinky Winky hydrangeas at all, I’ve come up with this simple method after reading countless how-to articles on the subject and becoming frustrated by how complex some of the instructions were.
When investigating that new shrub or plant you bought, it might be rather scary. Am I correct?
It’s time to restart your garden after planting it in the ground last Spring. It can be difficult to know when and what to prune.
Dumb it down, Einstein!
When we totally renovated the landscaping in our front yard a few years ago, we also planted our Pinky Winky hydrangeas. From Proven Winners, they come.
Just one month after planting, the Pinky Winky shrubs are indicated by the arrows. On the other side of this big bed, there are two more planted.
When to prune Pinky Winky Hydrangeas?
Every year, Pinky Winky hydrangeas bloom on new wood, so don’t be concerned that you’re removing prospective flowers if you prune away brown twigs that have gotten too tall for your tastes.
How to prune Pinky Winky Hydrangeas the easy way!
(Almost wanting to apologize for my filthy gardening gloves. Almost. However, I’m being honest here, and these are typically how my gloves end up looking after some time!)
For winter interest, I like to keep the dried flower heads on all of our hydrangea varieties.
Strong gusts can sometimes cause them to be blown away, but most of the time they stay on the plants, and I like the way they appear.
First, begin at the end of the branch in question, which in my case will be the very tip of the blossoms.
Step two: Continue to follow the branch away from the tip until the first cluster of buds starts to appear.
After only one month of pruning, here is how one of the Pinky Winky hydrangeas appears.
Didn’t I mention possibly no pruning is needed with Pinky Winky Hydrangeas?
I simply don’t have time for that, despite the fact that there are numerous gardening books, articles, and blog posts available online regarding the correct technique to prune Pinky Winky hydrangeas, including trimming back specific branches to produce larger blooms.
You also don’t. (And if you do, congrats to you; I simply lack that kind of patience!)
You really aren’t required to prune your Pinky Winky hydrangeas if you don’t want to.
To maintain the shrub neat, many gardeners simply remove a few wayward branches here and there. Alternately, they might cut any branches that are touching or crossing over since it might lead the branches to start rubbing against one another and allow some sort of nasty, wicked fungus to grow.
We do our best to take care of the plants and bushes in our gardens, and as time goes on, we discover what works and what doesn’t exactly work.
Pinky Winky Hydrangea Images
In the Spring, lime-green buds that eventually develop into white blooms appear first, followed by new growth that is bright green. The lovely two-toned pink and white flower heads appear as the Summer progresses, and as Fall approaches, they continue to change into a stunning rose hue. In the winter scene, especially in the snow, the dried flowers look so lovely.